Jewish History of Budapest

Dohany Street Synagogue-the Largest Synagogue in Europe

“Although they don’t want to be regarded as outsiders, they are somewhat proud of being regarded as outsiders.”

Herzl, the Father of Zionism from Budapest

“I have established the Jewish State in Basel… Maybe 5 years, but in 50 years, everyone will see it.”

“So, is this your first time in Israel? Do you like Israel?”

Perhaps it’s not common to see an Asian girl in Israel, I get asked this question quite often.

“No, it’s my 8th time here. And I love Israel.”

Every time, people react with being shocked and confused, and with another question- “Why?”

My First Visit to Israel

I never thought I would visit the “Holy Land”.  Growing up Christian, Jerusalem is a name I knew since childhood, but I didn’t really know it existed on earth. Just like how familiar I was with Disney characters from watching films, I was quite familiar with the stories of Abraham, Moses, and David in the Bible. (I love David!)

Back in 2011, Israel just began granting visa-waiver program to Taiwanese, I “accidentally” made a short trip to Israel from Amman as a 21-year-old.

And strangely, when I saw the walls of Jerusalem, somehow everything felt so familiar, and I felt like I came “home”.  My heart melted when I saw Jews praying at the Western Wall. I think it might be the first time I saw Jews, or I finally made the connection from the haircut, the tzitzit, or just the congregation that the children of Israel from the Bible thousands of years ago are alive! In front of my eyes!

A Girl who Blogs About Israel

I knew back then I would go back to Israel one day, but I didn’t think it would happen anytime soon since Israel is really expensive! In Taiwan, people are spoiled with cheap, clean and convenient food options. (For 10 shekels you can get a business lunch that comes with a drink. Taiwan is a wonderful place). Plus the world is so big, I wanted to see South America or other new places first.

But my entire family is Christian. It was mind-blowing for them that a young girl like me could travel to Israel independently. Most Asian tourists visit Israel in a group as pilgrims, they’d spend around USD$3000-$4000 for a 10-day “once in your lifetime” trip to the Holy Land. And here I was, telling my relatives about my Couchsurfing experience staying at Jewish homes. Many questions were asked, especially on the “how”.

To make the story very short, I went to Israel again, and I took my parents and my younger brother. For a 19-day trip, we spent only around USD$3000 in total (excluding airfare). I started to write down travel tips in Mandarin (Chinese) and posted them online in 2017. The blog got noticed pretty quickly, and I was met with Taiwanese ambassador in Israel, invited to write for magazines or to speak about Israel. My travel guide book will be published this year, and I plan to start leading smaller groups to Israel. And there are many opportunities opened up that I couldn’t even imagine in the beginning.

In one of the workshops I spoke at in Taipei, a young couple with 3 kids came to see me… “I don’t know if you remember us, we wrote you an email in 2017, it was your blog that made our trip to Israel possible!”  Their daughter was only 7 years old, and she was telling me her trip to Israel! It was an incredible feeling!

Many of my readers have Christian backgrounds, and they love Israel way more than I do. And I’m often encouraged by them. It hasn’t been easy to write a blog about Israel, and it certainly takes a lot of effort, but it has been an honor!

Visit my blog at www.wonderisrael.com (English), www.israelmega.com (Chinese)

-The post was originally written for iKonnect Blog at https://www.ikonnect.co.il/blog/from-taiwan-to-israel-a-surprising-connection

Website: https://www.ikonnect.co.il

After registration, I think it’s nice to start with the food quiz! (Click here)

The prizes!

The idea of the website is to learn more about Israel through playing all these games! So, the questions are tough! Be prepared!

And this is kind of a guest post with iKonnect, you can read my story on their blog (you get 20 points for reading it!)

From Taiwan to Israel – A Surprising Connection 

Now go and play the games!

The thing is, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is actually closer to Israel than Cairo! From Eilat, the southern city of Israel, it takes only 2.5 hours to the most beautiful secret resort at the real Red Sea. And you can watch the legendary sunrise at Mt.Sinai the next day! So many backpackers and travelers have done this… and even I have revisited the place after …. a long time! (Didn’t have a nice camera back then)

Don’t miss this one out!

The Glance: Mt. Sinai 

Maybe add a little touch of “Egypt” for your trip to the Middle East?

This is one of the hikes I did in my early 20s, as a girl traveling solo in Egypt.  I didn’t know how hard the hike was (there weren’t that many blogs and certainly not vlogs 8 years ago)

Let me show you the amazing sunrise first! (And what the trip looks like)

The easiest way to get there from Israel is to go with Abraham Tours. All the details are there and pretty accurate. If you want to be really precise… all you need is 29 hours!!

Total Costs

1. The 2D1N Package $ 159

2. Border Fees: Israeli Exit Tax 102 + 5NIS from Israel exit (approximately $ 31) and Egyptain Entry Stamp 400EGP (approximately $ 26)

3. Lunch: Bring your lunch, I bought coke for 25EGP (about $ 2)

4. Camel fee: 250EGP (or $ 20)

5. Blanket rental fee: 50EGP (about $ 3)

= about USD$ 238 per person

History? Some history about Sinai 

The Sinai Peninsula briefly under Israeli control between 1967 and 1982 (after the Six-Day War). But the peninsula is 3 times bigger than the size of Israel!  Israel found it difficult to defend the border, so Israel gave up the control and returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt after the peace agreement made with Egypt. But the point is, basically from then until now, relations between Egypt and Egypt have been very good. I even met a guide from Dahab who loves Bamba!! (An Israeli snack! And he said he never liked Bisli, which is another Israeli snack. I found the conversation interesting :P)

If you want to go back the history, watch “The Prince of Egypt” or just read Exodus. Moses led the people of Israel from Egypt, and here he received the Ten Commandments. The people of Israel made a covenant with God, He would be their God, and they would be His people. And we see the rebirth of Israel, we know that God’s promise hasn’t failed!  This love has lasted for at least 4000 years! What a romantic place!

After Constantine legalized Christianity in the 4th century AD, his mother Helena, designated this mountain in the Sinai Peninsula as Mount Sinai. The monastery was built here and named after Catherine, a devout female believer who didn’t give up her faith under persecution. The St. Catherine’s Church in Bethlehem is also named after this lady.

Get Ready! Things to Pack

1. Energy:

2. Equipment: Hiking boots/sneakers, headlight (you need this! Don’t attempt to rely on your phone), water bottle (I brought a thermos), hand warmer (if in January), a very warm jacket (I went with my Superdry wind-cheater and lots of layers)

It’s VERY COLD up there!! If there’s only one piece of advice that I can give you… please dress warmly!

The 2D1N Itinerary

With Abraham tours, you meet at Eilat at 11AM (the tour leaves only on Monday I think). You’ll cross the border with your group, and the van will take you to the resort around 13:30. Dinner is at 19:00. Then you meet again at midnight.

Mount Sinai and Red Sea 2 Day Tour

Level of Energy Required：

Departs：Every Monday

Fee：USD$159

1.Departure

The security in Sinai is strict. Though for sure you should still try to get as much sleep as possible along the way, you’d still be interrupted by 3-5 checkpoints. Make sure to bring your passport!

2. About 2:30 AM: Arrive at the foot of the mountain and climb the mountain

We met our guide at the parking. After a short walk (15-30 minutes walk), we saw so many camels! From here you can take a camel (should be 7 kilometers), or walk about 1.5 ~ 2 hours. It’s FLAT but LONG!!  And …. just not easy to walk when it’s so dark. I prefer taking the camel taxi   (More details later)

3. At About 4 AM: Hike up to the Top from Upper Camel Stop

At some point, the camel cannot go further. Then you need to climb 750 steps by yourself, which is the hardest part. It takes about 40 minutes to 1.5 hours …

If you are a girl, there will be a Bedouin who enthusiastically asks you to hold his hand, the friendly gesture is to “help you”. But coming from Asian background.. well I’d rather not take advantage of this.

There are toilets and tea stops, the fee is 1 US dollar or 20 EGP. (I heard it’s super dirty) A cup is tea is the same price. So… I was glad that I had my thermos.

4. Wait for the Sunrise

It’s better to go up and wait for the sun first, because we can wait for the sunrise but the sunrise can’t wait for us … so that’s why we started the climb an hour early! My sunrise was at 06:22, and I arrived before 5AM… so I had to find a place to sleep. It cost 50EGP (about USD$3) to rent a blanket.

In the beginning, I hesitated because who knows how clean the blankets were (it’s so dark, you can’t see…. ) I asked the vendor: “Is it clean?”  He replied, “It’s for tourists!”

Well, I suppose the blankets were never washed. But it turned out to be okay.

The best place to sleep…. er, I meant, to watch the sunrise, is to your left. I found this by accident because I was sleeping against a wall, and woke up seeing people talking towards me. And the sunrise was exactly behind me…. lucky me  :O

The spot… if you see from this picture, you will hike up from the stairs. And pass the chapel (on your right on the way up), and then you’ll see a small observation deck. The sunrise will be on your left if the chapel is behind you.

Taking a photo for my Chinese blog… www.israelmega.com

5.Downhill: 2 to 3 Hours

The sad news… It will not be any easier to walk downhill!  The main reason is that your body will be exhausted after not having enough sleep. It will take at least 2 hours to go down.

I made a short video to show you the way down the mountain from the beginning to the end. You can see the camel station at 02:00. From there it’s still a flat but LONG walk to the monastery at the foothill. That’s why I’d recommend taking the camel at least one-day.

6.About 9AM: Breakfast Time

Our breakfast is included in the package.

Another tip!

If you want to use the toilet, it costs 5EGP per person at the Catherine Monastery, so it is important to have Egyptian change with you! And it’s amazingly clean compared to the toilet in the mountain, which costs 20EGP per visit!

7. St.Catherine Monastery

It’s free to visit this 1500-year-old monastery. I liked it. Not so different from churches you see in Israel at around the same era, but it’s still nice. (I liked how our Muslim Bedouin guide was inside the church, talking to a greek priest)

You cannot take pictures inside the church, but you can take pictures in the compound. This is the burning bush (of course not).

And this is Moses’ well.  (Questionable, but the well has water !!)

Going Back To Israel 

The van will take you back to the resort. From noon to 3pm you can take a nap or spend time on the beach. The van will take you to Taba border at 3pm (takes about 30 minutes). You’ll cross the border on your own. And the public bus stop(15/30) is right at the exit of border control in Eilat. If all things go well, you can take the 5pm bus (444) back to Jerusalem.

Please book your bus in advance! 444 is extremely popular and impossible to get a last-minute free seat!

How hard is the hike? 

Well, the definition of “hard” is because the total of this hike takes 3 hours one way, and instead of sleeping in a bed, you are telling your body to walk. If you are not used to staying up the whole night (which I’m not), it’s very difficult and drains out a lot of energy.

So, my strategy is to take the camel up. It’s not expensive, but don’t talk to the camel man directly, always let your guide do the communication. The normal price is 250EGP or $20 one way.  I enjoyed the ride and watching the big sky dressed with thousands of stars! And then the 750 steps didn’t seem that hard afterward.

The Real Mt.Sinai

Not to spoil anything, but this Mt.Sinai is the traditional site. Recently some archaeologists found a chariot in the Red Sea from Pharoah’s time. And the Red Sea is actually “The Reed Sea” (mistranslation). Watch the video here for the real Mt.Sinai in … Saudi Arabia !!! With more archaeological findings.

Where did we stay? Aqua Sun Resort

We didn’t get much sleep but spent two afternoons here. Aqua Sun Resort is literally in the middle of nowhere and you cannot find it on Google Maps! The place is serene and amazing!

Just this resort, the Red Sea and us!

The lounge! The owner is an Israeli who has lived in Sinai for over 30 years.

Two restaurants. This is where we had dinner. (Included)

We stayed in one of these huts! So cute!

Inside is a double bed, a shelf, a rug, and a lamp, and you can charge your electronics too. It’s basic but cute!

Female toilet and shower room! (So clean! But no hot water… I wish this would improve)

And the amazing beach! There’s no Wi-Fi here (well, it’s connected, but it didn’t work…), so bring a book or something. Or just relax.

The Dinner

At about 5 pm, you’d be asked what you’d like to have for dinner. Options were chicken, fish or pizza.

This is the lentil soup

Salad and hummus~

My main dish was fish Pita and french fries were included.

And Arabic dessert. Kanafe in mini ball form!

Going with Abraham Tours

The whole experience I had was with Abraham Tours. You could travel independently, but Egypt is not a place that I’d travel alone. If you are short on time, just leave everything to Abraham.

When you travel in a group, you are more secured. And once you get out from the border, a van is there to pick you up! And you go straight to the resort! You don’t lose any time!

We even made 2 photo-stops on the way!

How to visit Mt.Sinai independently?

The security in Sinai is pretty strict, it will be too naive to think you can just go in any taxi to take you to St.Catherine. You need to find a local travel agency, and you’d be put in a group with other travelers. A guide needs to be responsible for the group.

What you could do, is catch the bus at 3pm to Dahab(there’s only a bus a day), or spend 1000EGP for the taxi ($70). And you’ll arrive around 6pm. Find a hotel, and purchase the package there. But I can already imagine how tiring it is to do so many things in a day, and it won’t be a pleasant experience to hike up the mountain the next day. And if you are short on time and you don’t visit the Middle East often, with the time you saved, you could explore Jordan! Wadi Rum and Petra are not to be missed!  I  loved the jeep ride and sunset there!

Final Thoughts

This is the easiest option if you’d like to see this amazing sunrise in Mt.Sinai! And it’s a very quick trip from Eilat! You’ll see a sunrise that you won’t forget! The whole experience was smooth and saved a lot of time and confusion. If you have more time, the Petra&Wadi Rum tour is not to be missed, and more accessible.

Also you can stay longer in Taba if you wish (which I did! The Movenpick Hotel there is cheap and wonderful!)

Due to archeological excavations, the design drawings of the hotel and the church had to be redrawn. The “Magdala Archaeological Park” was opened (click here ) a few years ago, and the hotel…. was opened last year in November 2019!

So I had to come here and see!

What would the experience like, staying at the biblical “Magdala”?

Location

It’s literally at Magdala. And not in Tiberias, where many hotels are situated. 

It’s easy to take a bus from here to Tiberias or Safed! After getting off the bus from Migdal Junction, it will take about 8 minutes to pass through a local supermarket, gas station and cafes. It will not be particularly difficult to walk ~

I heard that the road from the hotel to the bus station will be open in the future! (It only takes 2 minutes to walk! It will be super convenient)

Though most people come by tour buses!

The look in the morning, wow.

Check-In

There was a nice scent in the lobby! It actually smells like a luxury hotel! In fact, it ’s only been 2 months since the opening, and the place was packed with international groups.

The receptionist was a Christian Arab (judging by the last name, plus this is a pilgrim house), next to it is the gift shop. The picture behind it should be the structure of the Magdalen Hall.

Official website: https://magdalahotel.com

It’s really a nice hotel, and not just a hotel… read on!

My welcome drink. It’s a hot drink made from pears..?! Pretty interesting, I loved it!

Facilities

There is an elevator! And there are comfortable seats in every corner ~ you can chat!

Let’s use the elevator.. haha… why not…

This is the second floor, there is a comfortable chair in the same corner ~ This place has amazing scenery during the day!

The Magdala Hotel has only two floors, and it feels very comfortable.

This is a photo taken on the second floor toward the lobby.

In the middle there’s a “fish pond”, and it’s actually from the time of Jesus/Yeshua… 2000 years ago!

The fishermen would throw their catch directly from their boats to the fish pond! This is THE fish pond! The designer moved the historic fish pond here, how cool is that!

Well, the way to the room ~ The hallway is super spacious and has a sense of luxury! !! The first time I felt that my luggage was not stuck! Haha!

Let’s go to 148~

The Room

Let’s see…. wait, there’s a bottle of wine on the table?! Wow!!

Let’s see the room at a glance ~ This is a super spacious guest room. There’s a luggage rack next to the TV, wardrobe, tea set, refrigerator, and the shower is next to the entrance!

This bed is awesome … First of all, there are 5 pillows!! 5!!! And then it is really wide. I can turn over…..  and turn over.

I think the bed was at least 1.5 times wider than an ordinary bed, at least!! It’s so wide that I doubted whether I was sleeping in a double bed! !!

Small tea set and refrigerator~  It’s nice to have a cup of tea and hot water in the room! (So important for Asians anyways, we drink hot water all the time)

The toilet … The toilet was very spacious ~ I wonder if as a backpacker, I got used to smaller spaces… Oh but it’s not difficult to adapt, I have already quickly adapted, haha!

In short, the toilet is awesome, and the washstand is separated ~

Wait, do you see what I see?

AHAVA is in the room! AHAVA is a Dead Sea brand, pretty famous actually. So there’s AHAVA lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel! Amazing! (Not a typical pilgrim house you’d expect!)

Because of the inspiration, I bought more Ahava products at the airport, haha!

Even though the room is shared only between me and my mom… the toilet is separated from the shower, and both are incredibly spacious! Wow!!

The hair dryer is also a normal new type, not a hair dryer that looks like a vacuum machine… (pretty popular from 1980s in Israel) ~

How it looks during the day ~ I got up in a panic, and then quickly looked at the scenery outside … Because I only saw the road at night, I was curious to know what it’d look like in the day

(again, this is really a spacious single bed)

The scenery from my balcony … There’s  a Jewish village in the first century AD, and Mt.Arbel~

Wow ~ I feel like I am in a resort … Only better…

There are 150 rooms at Magdala, this is the cheapest room ~ But this view is already incredible!

(There are rooms facing the lake, but the difference will not be too much)

Dinner

OK ~ back to dinner! The name of the restaurant is Tarichaea. Does it ring a bell? Taricheae, mentioned by historian Josephus, it means “place of salted fish” ~ See, Magdala has a lot of nice details

The dinner buffet is open daily from 7 pm-9pm! It’s time to eat!

You’d naturally expect quality dinner when the room was so nice … but I didn’t expect it would be so good! There were so many options!

First of all, I saw salmon!!!

Incredible!! I LOVE salmon!

So there are 5 choices for the main course alone! And besides salmon, there is also pork! !! Incredible! !!

Not enough space for salads, there are just too many options!

And the desserts!

The difference between the room+breakfast option vs half-board option is US$23 per person. But in Israel, you don’t get much with $23 (about 70NIS), maybe you can get a nice pasta, but not a buffet like this!!

Whoever reads it, don’t miss out on the dinner!

And this is not over yet! In fact, the buffet is divided into two sides, the other side has a more complete set of dishes. Visually, I would say there were at least 40 kinds of salads, and there’s also soup!

The seating area~

The second night, the place was packed!

And I found a group of Taiwan!! (I’m from Taiwan too)

The next day there is no salmon, all 5 main dishes were different and so delicious. I think there was sea bass and duck meat.

Finally, I felt satisfied with eating, because as an Asian, my diet isn’t hummus, falafel, shawarma, shakshuka… I need something …else! Haha!

Plus, if you want to eat something more formal, it’d cost at least 100NIS, yet there won’t be so many choices … this is just incredible!

Drinks were probably billed separately (with room number), by the way, really not a good time to drink Corona beer -_-

Facilities 2

Let’s see what it looks like during the day! Remember these two chairs? Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you could see the synagogue, market, and village outside …

The scenery on the second floor ~ Super super, super worth staying here! (Even just for sitting here!)

The fish pond during the day. Is there a sense of confusion in time and space?

Life is a gift. Hehe!

You can walk out from the glass window behind the fish pond!

More seating area, I guess it’s a part of the cafe. I heard that there will be new restaurants in the future!

The menu. Even if you are not staying here, come for coffee! The latte is only 14NIS!

A gym is somewhere here. And a swimming pool!!

In a short distance (Magdala is not that big), you’d see the prayer center, which is built over the ancient harbor!  Very cool!

When you stay here, you can come here as you like, even after the business hours, and I guess you don’t need to pay extra for the ticket.

Let’s walk to the lake, but not an ordinary lake! It’s the Sea of Galilee! (It’s a lake) If you can spot a little bit of blue, that’s the lake ~ how interesting!

This is a small worship corner, it is very suitable for groups to come here for the morning prayer!

You can read more about the Magdala archaeological park here! I wrote about it 1-2 years ago. So this is the 1st-century synagogue where Jesus/Yeshua taught! Behind it, it’s the Magdala Hotel!

At first, the prayer center was meant to be built here, closer to the road. When the foundation was dug, wait, an ancient synagogue was found!

Isn’t this a miracle?

And we found Magdala!!! Incredible! In order to maintain precious archeological findings, the blueprint of the Magdalen Hotel and the location of the prayer center had to be modified to what we see today.

Breakfast

Breakfast buffet is open from 6: 30 ~ 09: 00, basically most people come with the group, so it’s super quiet after 7: 30 ~

There are many breakfast options too!

Eat your veggies, even in the morning, it’s good for your health. Haha!

For the hot food, there are three kinds of eggs ~

The special feature of breakfast here is that the coffee is served by the waiter (and they are super polite), and it is really good American coffee!

My happy breakfast!

Conclusion

The standard, the service, the quality, the room for this price, I’d say it’s the most amazing accommodation you’d see in the Tiberias area.  If you have budget, I really recommend it!

I can see how this place will be packed with tour groups, and it will be difficult to reserve a room. In fact, I don’t need to predict, just go online and see how many dates are already blocked out, and the Magdala Hotel has opened just for 2 months! Incredible!

If your group is taking you here, you are lucky! This is definitely the best place to stay in Galilee! Everything is either new or 2000 years old!

I loved this place!

By the way, I heard that a hostel will/might be built in the near future, in the basement of the Magdala Hotel because there are many hikers in the area. I hope this plan will work out

Official website: https://magdalahotel.com

So the rumor goes as…

The Jewish families get paid $400 a month for every kid from the Israeli government.

No wonder you see so many kids in a family! One kid for $400 a month, so 4 kids for $1600, you only need 8 kids to reach the average salary, which is around $3200 in Israel.

And the rumor goes as…

These Haredim men don’t work, so the entire family relies on the stipend as income.

Well, the theory is fun. But is it true?

How much do you get paid? Israeli Child Allowance

The rumor is spread among not just among Arab taxi drivers to foreign tourists (like me!) and to some extent, even into the ears of young Israeli.  However, the government spends 50% of the tax income on national defense, Israel doesn’t have that much money to support families.

Additionally, the allowance isn’t ONLY for ultra-orthodox Jews or Jews. The policy applies to all citizens, including Israeli Arabs.

So how much is this benefit?  Let’s see the charts!

For children born before 2003, the monthly allowance is 152 NIS for the first kid, 191 for the second kid, 191 NIS for the third kid or the fourth kid, and 152NIS for the fifth kid onwards.

It looks like from this pattern, the Israeli government felt the “sweet spot” for a family structure was 2-3 kids. It makes sense because Israel is a country at war, you CAN lose your child in a battle.

For children born AFTER 2003, the monthly allowance is 152 NIS for the first kid, 191 for the second kid, 191 NIS for the third kid, 340NIS for the fourth kid, and 359NIS for the fifth kid onwards.

So it looks like the policy now is encouraging even bigger families! At least 4 kids! It might have something to do with the rising prices in Israel, many people simply can’t afford to have more kids.

So… how much is 340NIS in U.S dollars anyways?

.

..

…

The answer is…..

400USD!!!

Oh! I’m just kidding, it’s $98…!!

Did you know that a decent meal costs $20-$30 in Israel? You cannot do much with $98 a month. Just think New York.

(If anyone plans on making money through kid allowance in Israel, well, they will seriously be disappointed Let’s stop this fake news spreading!)

What’s the Monthly Child Stipend in My Country, Taiwan?

So out of curiosity, I did some research on this topic for my country, Taiwan. How much monthly child stipend do we get?

Well. The monthly salary is around $1300 in Taiwan, to begin with.

• At birth, you get $700 as a gift money
• 0-2-Year-Old Baby: You get $80 as a monthly stipend. $30 extra for the 3rd kid onwards. If you have low-income, you get $170.
• 2-5-Year-Old Baby: You start to receive $80/month as education support.

So let’s say you have the lowest income, and you are having your 3rd kid. Then you get USD$200!

That’s about 680NIS! It means the child support values more than 3 Israeli kids combined.  If the same rumor applies to Taiwan (which is a high-tech and well-educated country) if you see a couple with many children, does it mean they have kids to get more stipend from the government?

Well, maybe it is true since Taiwan is 3 times cheaper than Israel …..  (Of course I’m being sarcastic. The birth rate is about 1% only in Taiwan because young people cannot afford to raise up kids.)

The Ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) Women

Since the stipend isn’t lucrative, why do Haredim women have so many kids?

Well, keep their religious background in mind, they don’t practice birth control. Every kid is a gift. You see ultra-orthodox Jews all the time in Jerusalem (the ones wearing black coats). If you’d like to know more about their world, I highly recommend taking a guided tour when you are in Jerusalem.

The role of a Haredim man is to read the Torah and pray, and a woman is to support her husband. They are on this mission together until they are rewarded in the eternal world.  The responsibility of a bread runner falls on the woman’s shoulder. A Haredim woman receives more secular education, such as math and English, because they need to do “secular jobs”.  On the other hand, they don’t feel their husbands aren’t working, because reading Torah and praying is the most meaning work in this world, which will pass away.

70% of the Haredim women go to work. But how do they work and raise 7-8 kids at the same time? Well, financially they struggle. And time-wise, they need their older kids to take care of younger kids. But the Haredim community is well connected, just like a big family.

If someone needs to go abroad or needs money to have surgery, the community is always involved, and people are willing to give a dime, or two. Or if there’s a new baby or a funeral, a helping hand is never absent. In terms of childhood, the Haredim kids grew up in love and care from the entire community.

So in some ways, these religious Jews chose this way of life.

They are not having babies for getting USD$400 monthly stipend per kid!  Definitely not true!

If you are going to Israel, the guided tour that takes you to the religious neighborhood of Jerusalem is available only on Thursdays. You’ll be guided by an ex-Haredim guide, you’ll see their lifestyle, hear stories, and all your questions can be answered!

Sources

Nefesh B’nefesh

When you take this bus called sherut, it takes you to the Allenby border, the most popular border between Jerusalem and Amman. It takes about 1 hour. Easy transportation option.

So where’s this Sultan Suleiman Bus Station?

Transportation: Jerusalem to Amman by Bus (Sherut)

First, take this 10-seater sherut in Jerusalem.  It takes about 40 minutes to the border. Make sure you have exit tax ready in shekels.  Be sure you have a Jordanian visa or Jordan pass. Pay 11JOD for the shuttle bus between borders. It costs another 25JOD to go to Amman by taxi from the border.

The whole trip will take at least 4 hours. (1 hour to Allenby border, 1-2 hours to cross, 1 hour to reach Amman.)

For details, see: Amman to Jerusalem by Jett Bus (via Allenby)

 Bus Fare

The bus fare costs 42NIS. And for luggage 5NIS. Cash only. No reservation needed in advance.

 Sherut Timetable

When you are in the Middle East, get used to the fact that there’s no timetable!  It leaves from 7 AM, every 15-20 minutes or when it’s full.

• The last bus leaves at 1 pm on regular days
• Or at 10 AM on Friday and Saturday

The Sultan Suleiman Bus Station

The entrance to the Sultan Suleiman Bus Station is across Damascus Gate, and near The Golden Walls Hotel.

See the hotel? Enter from here!

Here’s the entrance. I know it’s weird.

So the bus station is basically the parking. And the ticket office is behind the vans.

 About Israeli Exit Tax

Allenby border charges 181NIS to exit.  You pay 5NIS for service fee, which you can save by paying in advance on borderpay.il or from the post office.

Every border charges border exit tax differently, for details please see Israeli-Jordanian Border Crossing.

 Do I need a visa for Jordan?

Most of us can get into Jordan through Jordan Pass. If you previously used this border to arrive in Israel, you don’t need another visa to return Jordan.

How many days do I need in Jordan?

I guess you need 3-4 days minimum! If you don’t have much time, it’s a good idea to go with Abraham Tours (featured in Lonely Planet, a very well-known and well-established brand).  You cross the border faster in a group. Their 3-day package takes you to Petra, Wadi Rum (beautiful stars at night and jeep tour included!), Amman and Jerash. The tour leaves from Jerusalem and costs $560. If you are in a hurry, there’s another 2-day tour and costs $350. If you are new to backpacking in the Middle East, this is the easiest option!  

The conclusion… go for it!

Location

It’s close to Bezalel market, you’d see it as you come from carmel market heading to Dizengoff square.

The shop is tiny, but seating is still available. I guess the little shop can handle 12-16 dine-in customers!

Well, it’s always busy!

Menu

The menu is on the wall. 6NIS for a falafel!!  Additionally you can buy grape juice for 4NIS.

So, the concern is… why is it so cheap?

Well, with this price, it pretty much guarantees good business. And I actually find their falafel very good in taste and quality. You’d find 6-8 falafel balls, and you actually taste falafel till the very last bite!  It’s pretty solid!! And only for 6NIS!

Taim! (Delicious in Hebrew)

I came across this shop when I noticed the place was packed with elementary kids. And wow! Yes, I’d recommend this place for lunch if you are around. A hearty falafel for 15NIS, why not!

By the way, why was this shop called Uncle Moustache Restaurant? Hmmmm….. but I came across a beautiful story, which I’d share at the end of this article.

Location

When you are at Herod’s gate, go into the Old City. The first shop that offers food is this place! (on your right)

This is not the exact location. But well, you have the idea. It’s in this area. Follow your nose and instinct. Or ask a local boy.

Menu？

There’s no menu…. but there’s falafel! Add everything, it’s all good! And what’s so special about this place is…. EGGPLANTS!

He added eggplants! And that was the game-changing factor. It made the falafel so tasty! Somehow eating eggplant feels like eating meat, so it was super satisfying!

As a Taiwanese, I don’t like boring food. When I eat falafel or hummus, I have to train myself eating it with a heart of gratitude (no kidding!). So when I found out eggplants were added to my falafel, I was so happy!

Here’s the falafel! It feeds 2 Asians

Look at it! It’s delicious! There’s falafel, french fries, eggplants and lots of vegetables! So what else can you expect from a falafel? It is perrrfect! ～

Oh! And there’s a toilet here too, though the lock doesn’t work.

Now, here’s the story.

While we were waiting there, a tourist (from the UK I think) talked to the owner. He was talking so sincerely, with tears bursting from his eyes. Why was he so moved?

I came here 50 years ago.

Your grandfather was a good man. He helped many backpackers who didn’t have money. He fed us.

I watched all of this. And I was stunned. Later I learned that the shop was opened for 50 years. It means from the beginning, the shop had a good reputation. And surely it would pass down…. There was his dad and his son from the first picture.

I was very happy to find out this shop.

Final Verdict

A falafel for 15NIS at Herod’s Gate. Yes, I recommend it!

The day pass is a “contract”, that can only be purchased with a Rav-kav card. There are different contracts/day passes, and #671 is the one you need for Jerusalem!

#671 Day Pass

• Day Pass price： 13.5 NIS
• Area Coverd: Jerusalem (Band 1)
• A single ticket price in Jerusalem: 5.9 NIS

Where Can #671 Be Used?

As a tourist, all you need to know is that,

1. Any stop on Light Rail. So that means Yad Vashem or Israel Museum.
2. You can’t use it for going to the airport. (It costs 17NIS for direct train or 16NIS for airport bus.)
3. Bus… if it’s within city. (Further explanation below)

This is Jerusalem Light Rail, it is more punctual and reliable than taking the bus. So I recommend using it.

 

This is the bus, Egged.

#671 Sample Itinerary

• Arriving Jerusalem Central Bus station, take the light rail to your hotel/hostel
• Take the light rail to Mount Herzl, the stop where Yad Vashem is
• Take the light rail to Mahane Yehuda Market
• Take the light rail to City Hall, the closest stop to the Old City. Watch a sound and light show
• Take the light rail to go back to your hotel/hostel

So this is already 5 trips already!

However, if you aren’t traveling with luggage, I’d recommend walking. It’s an easy and pleasant walk from Jaffa Center to the Old City. Plus, most of the attractions are in or around the Old City of Jerusalem!

Try to plan Yad Vashem, Israel Museum or other attractions which are further away on the same day, and use the day pass for that day!

 

How to Purchase #671?

You’ll find ticket machine/kiosks near the bus stop and light rail stop.

This is the ticket machine at the light rail station. It is written “Day Pass Jer Kernel”. The only package with the price, 13.5NIS.

The Rav-Kav machine at bus stops offers more options for contracts/day passes. Go to Jerusalem Metropolitan, and find #671

Important Notice!

You can only buy a day pass (contract) with a Rav-Kav card. (Click here to know more about Rav-kav card ).

You CANNOT buy a Rav-kav card at a light rail station. You can get one from one of those Sales Points or from the bus drivers. I’d recommend getting one from the train station at Ben Gurion airport!

By the way, ticket inspectors are commonly seen in Jerusalem’s light rail. It’s important to make sure you validate your Rav-kav card EVERY time you board the light rail (or the bus).

 

The Bands? The Zones…

So central Jerusalem is in Band 1. The light rail is in Band 1, which you don’t need to worry about. And I’d say most bus rides fall in Band 1 too. So there’s not much to worry about.

 

These are the exact moshavs (towns) around Jerusalem that also fall into the category of Band 1, in case you want to know.

 

Did this help? Try to remember getting a #671 for unlimited travel in Jerusalem! Leave me a message if you have a question!